How to have fun on a blind date

Jessica Padykula is a freelance writer and editor in Toronto, Canada covering a wide range of topics for several online lifestyle publications. She is a regular contributor for SheKnows, covering travel, style, relationships, health and...

Enjoy your mystery date

Blind dates can be stressful for many reasons, not the least of which is that you just don’t know what you’re going to get. Plus, there’s the added pressure from the people who set you up. To help you move past the nerves and actually have a good time, here are a few tips.

keep a sense of humor.

Blind dates by nature are a bit absurd: You're expected to spend an afternoon or evening with someone you've never met before and enjoy it. So don't take the situation too seriously. That way, you'll be ready for anything, and you'll be able to laugh about it even if the date turns out to be a dud.

Don't put pressure on yourself.

You don't know what to expect, so why expect too much? Just go with the flow when you get there and hope that you have enough in common to carry a conversation. Ideally, the two of you click and it's a match. The worst that can happen is that you just don't hit it off, which really isn't that bad.

Do something different.

Try to think outside the dating box when deciding what to do on your blind date. Rather than just a dinner, which puts a lot of conversation pressure on both of you, go to the zoo, a fair or an art show. These alternative date ideas are often more fun and they ensure you always have something to talk about. Plus, if you're not hitting it off, at least you aren't staring at each other awkwardly across the table.